Echostar's Wish
by Mistsplashdraws
Summary: Born blind in one eye, Echokit's only wish is to be normal as those around her tease her, saying she'd only be good as a medicine cat. Led by determination, she becomes a warrior apprentice, but struggles to prove her worth. Watch as she grows up from a flawful young cat into a determined leader, with many challenges along the way. (terrible at summary's sorry) Rated T.
1. Allegiances

Allegiances

 **ThunderClan**

 **Leader** Stonestar- old, grey tabby tom with ice blue eyes

 **Deputy** Smokefang- pale grey tom with dark blue eyes

 **Medicine Cat** Petalwish- silver and white tabby she-cat with green eyes

 **Warriors** (toms and she-cats without kits)

Emberstep- dark grey tabby tom with blue eyes

Mudsplash- brown and white tom with amber eyes

Apprentice, Mousepaw

Foxnose- tortoiseshell she-cat with pale green eyes

Birchshade- mottled brown tom

Hawkfeather- speckled golden brown tom with blue eyes

Owlheart- speckled pale brown tom with a white underbelly

Fawnripple- fawn-coloured she-cat with white flecks and green eyes

Ravenwing- black she-cat with a white flash on her chest

Icefeather- pure white she-cat with blue eyes

Creekshade- bluish-grey tabby tom with green eyes

Oakfang- dark brown she-cat with green eyes

Rainsplash- grey tabby tom with blue eyes

Leafshine- light brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes

Cedarheart- brown tabby tom with green eyes

Dovefeather- pale grey tabby she-cat with green eyes

Lionwhisker- thick-furred golden brown tabby tom

Crowfang- black tom with blue eyes

Redflame- reddish-brown tabby tom

Dawnsky- light brown tabby she-cat

 **Apprentices (cats over six moons in training to become warriors)**

Mousepaw- small light brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes

 **Queens (she-cats expecting or nursing kits)**

Dappleleaf- pale brown she-cat with darker flecks and white paws (mother to Creekshade's kits; Pricklekit- light brown tabby tom with amber eyes and white paws, Sagekit- white she-kit with a gray muzzle, tail and paws and Shellkit- dappled grey she-cat)

Mistyshine- pale grey tabby she-cat with white paws and ice blue eyes (mother to Mudsplash's kits; Echokit- silver and white tabby she-cat with dark blue eyes, one of which is blind and Berrykit- brown tabby tom with a white underbelly and amber eyes)

Dawnsky- light brown tabby she-cat (expecting Cedarheart's kits)

 **Elders (toms and she-cats that have retired)**

Squirreltail- ginger she-cat with a bushy tail

Longwhisker- brown tabby tom with unusually long whiskers

Thornpelt- black tom with a spiky pelt

 **ShadowClan**

 **Leader** Smallstar- small, pale grey tabby tom with amber eyes

 **Deputy** Brightwing- white she-cat with ginger tabby patches

Apprentice, Russetpaw

 **Medicine Cat** Sootnose- bluish-grey tom with a white patch on his nose

Apprentice, Dewpaw

 **Warriors**

Quailfeather- white she-cat with tabby patches

Vinepelt- grey and white tom

Apprentice, Splashpaw

Spidertooth- very dark brown tom

Littlewhisker- light brown she-cat with short whiskers

Breezerunner- black tom; half WindClan

Apprentice, Yellowpaw

Weaseltail- white tom with a ginger tail and paws

Poolspark- grey tabby she-cat with a ginger tail-tip

Sunnyblaze- pale ginger tabby she-cat

Waspflight- tortoiseshell she-cat

 **Queens**

Robinflight- mottled brown and ginger she-cat (mother to Weaseltail's kits; Flamekit, Weedkit and Slatekit)

 **Elders**

Whiteleg- grey tom with white legs

 **WindClan**

 **Leader** Ivystar- grey and white tabby she-cat

 **Deputy** Molefoot- brown and white tabby tom

 **Medicine Cat** Cedarleaf- dark grey tabby tom with a white underbelly

Apprentice, Heatherpaw

 **Warriors**

Dappledear- brown she-cat with darker flecks on her ear

Falconheart- very dark grey tom

Apprentice, Gorsepaw

Yellowpelt- pale ginger she-cat

Flinttooth- grey tom

Fuzzytail- white tom with a very fluffy tail

Apprentice, Flowerpaw

Grayfoot- pale grey she-cat with darker paws

Apprentice, Furzepaw

Robintail- small tortoiseshell she-cat

Logfoot- dark brown tom with massive paws

Apprentice, Adderpaw

Goldensun- golden brown tabby she-cat

 **Queens**

Rosestripe- ginger tabby she-cat (mother to Molefoot's kits; Moorkit, Rabbitkit, Harekit and Seedkit)

Sorrelpelt- ginger and white she-cat (mother of Falconheart's kits; Ryekit and Doekit)

 **Elders**

Gingerpelt- ginger tabby she-cat

Shorttail- brown tom with a stump for a tail

 **RiverClan**

 **Leader** Minnowstar- light grey tabby she-cat **  
**

 **Deputy** Spottedwing- light brown she-cat with darker flecks and white paws

 **Medicine Cats** Lilysong- tortoiseshell she-cat **  
**

Pebblefall- pale grey tabby tom

 **Warriors**

Mosswhisker- grey and white tabby she-cat

Stonetail- dark grey tom

Apprentice, Marshpaw

Mintclaw- grey tom

Branchfall- dark brown tabby tom

Otterfur- ginger and white tabby she-cat

Apprentice, Treepaw

Jayflight- grey tabby tom

Patchflower- black and white she-cat

Primrosepelt- pretty reddish tabby she-cat

Apprentice, Sagepaw

Raventalon- black tom

Ripplestripe- grey tom with black stripes that look like ripples of water

Rowanbush- dark ginger tom

Sandwhisker- pale ginger tabby she-cat

Duskwhisper- light brown tabby she-cat

Owlflight- speckled light brown tom

Tumblestep- black tom with white paws

 **Queens**

Speckleshell- dappled grey she-cat (mother of Raventalon's kits; Cloudkit and Spiderkit)

Beechflower- ginger and white she-cat (expecting Jayflight's kits)

 **Elders**

Tallfoot- long-legged black and white tom


	2. Prologue

**Prologue**

Mudsplash paced outside the nursery, his heart racing with mixed emotions of excitement and worry. "Come in Mudsplash, you have two healthy kits; a son and a daughter." Petalwish, the medicine cat poked her head out of the nursery, a strong purr was rumbling in her throat. A sense of relief washed over Mudsplash as he bounded into a nursery to reveal his mate, Mistyshinecurled around two tiny kits. "Oh they're beautiful!" he purred.

"I know," Mistyshine responded, glaring down at the kits with a warm,loving gaze.

"Hello little ones," Mudsplash murmured, "welcome to ThunderClan."

"Shall we name them?" Mistyshine asked.

"Of course!" he agreed, resting his tail on the silver and white she-kit, "I want her to be called Echokit, after my sister, Echosky."

"Echokit," Mistyshine repeated, "and the tom shall be called Berrykit."

"What wonderful names," Mudsplash agreed, "they'll be great warriors one day."

 **Sorry it's only short, i'm terrible at prologues, but i'll post chapter one today.**


	3. Chapter One

**Chapter One**

"Wake up, Echokit, I want to play outside with the other kits!" Echokit recognised the squeaky voice of her brother, Berrykit.

"How many time do I have to repeat myself, Berrykit? She'll open them when she's ready to open them." This time it was her mother, Mistyshine who spoke, her voice was gentle and warm.

"Pricklekit, Sagekit and Shellkit will wait for you," one of the other queens, Dappleleaf promised Berrykit.

"But I want to play for the rest of the day!" Berrykit protested.

"You'll be tired by the time you play one game, after all, you were only born yesterday," Mistyshine responded curtly.

"I won't be tired, I'm going to be a warrior!" Berrykit growled.

 _I want to be a warrior!_ At that moment, Echokit blinked her eyes open to reveal a small bramble den that had an opening at the edge, but something wasn't right, she could only see clearly from one eye. "Your eyes are-" Berrykit paused in the middle of his sentence, "Mistyshine, is there spmething wrong with her?"

"What do you mean?" Echokit wailed. _There's nothing wrong with me, is there?_

Mistyshine bent down to look at her face, "Oh StarClan," she whispered, "I think she's blind in one eye."

"Do you want me to fetch Petalwish?" Dappleleaf asked.

"Yes, I want to make sure that that's the problem," Mistyshine replied.

"Problem?" Echokit tilted her head, "I have a problem?"

"You're blind in one eye, darling, it's nothing much," Mistyshine purred.

"That means she can't be a warrior!" Berrykit exclaimed.

Echokit's heart sunk, "what?"

"Berrykit," Mistyshine scolded, "of course you can be a warrior, little one."

"But she won't be able to hunt or fight with _that_ defect," Berrykit meowed rudely.

"She'll be able to hunt and fight as well as any cat," Petalwish squeezed throught the hole in the bramble den at that moment, followed by Dappleleaf.

"I doubt it," Berrykit mumbled.

Echokit flattened her ears, why was Berrykit being so mean to her? He was her littermate. Petalwish examined her eye for a few moemtns, "She's definetely blind in that eye," she announced, "but it shouldnt effect her much, so long as her other eye is kept safe."

"Can I still be a warrior?" Echokit asked.

"Of cour-" Mistyshine was cut off by Petalwish, "Only the future can answer that."

 _You watch I'll be the greatest warrior ever!_ Echokit was surprised to see her father Mudsplash squeeze into the nursery, "Has Echokit opened her eyes yet?" he asked.

"Yes, but she's blind," Berrykit scoffed.

"What?" Mudsplash sounded panicked.

 _That's not for him to answer!_ Echokit felt as if she were about to burst with anger. "Berrykit, don't be mean!" Mistyshine growled.

"Unfortunately Echokit was born blind in one of her eyes," Petalwish explained.

Mudsplash glared at Echokit, his gaze filled with empathy, "Can you do anything for her?" he asked.

Petalwish shook her head, "If I was able to help, I would've by now."

"Don't worry, I'll still be able to be the greatest warrior in all the clans!" Echokit exclaimed.

"I'm sure you will be," Mudsplash purred, licking her forehead.

"You can't be a warrior though, you'll have to be a stinky old medicine cat, or an elder," Berrykit commented in a rude matter.

"One more mean comment Berrykit and I won't let you out of the nursery for a moon and you'll be stuck playing in here while your sister and the rest of the kits are outside playing," Mistyshine warned.

Berrykit rolled his eyes, "Fine," he grunted.

"When can we go outside?" Echokit asked.

"Perhaps stay inside today, besides it's getting late," Petalwish purred.

Echokit flattened her ears in annoyance, "Okay."

"That's unfair!" Berrykit exclaimed.

"I can go get Pricklekit, Sagekit and Shellkit to come play inside if you'd like," Dappleleaf offered.

"I think our kits will be okay by themselves for today, let the others play outside," Mudsplash purred.

 **Hope you liked it! I'm planning to get a few chapters written today.**


	4. Chapter Two

**Chapter Two**

"Catch Echokit!" Berrykit yowled teasingly.

Echokit leapt at the ball of moss but she was too late, it had ran down her spine and landed on the ground. Confused, she landed on the ground with a thump, sending dust flying into the air. _Ooft! That hurt!_

Berrykit let out a chuckle, "You can't even catch a moss ball!" he scolded.

Echokit staggered to her paws, "that's not my fault!" she hissed.

"Yeah Berrykit, you know not to throw it that hard at her, it's unfair," one of the older kits, Pricklekit meowed.

"Since when are you my mother?" Berrykit spat, "if she can't even catch a moss ball, then she's not a proper warrior."

"I'll be a better warrior than you ever will be!" Echokit lashed her tail in annoyance.

Berrykit rolled his eyes, "Oh please, we can all see that you were made to be a medicine cat."

Echokit flattened her ears, as he eyes began to cloud with sadness, "No I'm not!" she yowled, running away.

 _Why is he so mean to me?_ She thought, _I can't control that I'm blind in one of my eyes._

Echokit stopped underneath the highledge, where Stonestar adressed the clan.

"Look what you did!" She could hear Pricklekit scolding Berrykit.

 _Why do I have to have this defect? Please StarClan help me, I want to be a warrior, not a medicine cat._

"Echokit, is that you?" Echokit recognised the voice of Pricklekit behind her, clearly after he'd finished scolding Berrykit, he'd come to look for her.

She turned around, he was sitting about a fox-length away from her, his eyes were warm. "Are you okay?" he asked.

"Not really," she sobbed, "Berrykit teases me all the time and he never listens to Mistyshine and Mudsplash when they tell him off."

"It's okay, you don't have to listen to what he says, every other cat thinks you'll be a fine warrior," Pricklepaw purred.

"Really?" Echokit's heart lifted.

"Of course."

"Then when I'm an apprentice, i'll show Berrykit that I can be a warrior as good as he could ever be," she lifted her chin.

"That's the spirit," Pricklekit meowed.

 **Not sure whether I love this chapter, but I hope you guys did! Dawnsky will probably have her kits in the next chapter, which may or may not have a big part in the story, you'll have to wait and see ;)**


	5. Chapter Three

**Chapter Three**

"Quick, get Petalwish, Dawnsky is having her kits!" Dappleleaf's panicked mew sounded from inside the nursery.

Echokit looked up from the beetle she had caught, Petalwish must've heard because she was already squeezing through the hole that led inside. _Finally some new denmates, hopefully they don't end up like Berrykit._ "What are you doing?" Pricklekit bounded up behind her," Dawnsky is giving birth."

"I'm just waiting for the kits to come," she murmured.

"I remember having to wait outside with Sagekit and Shellkit when you and Berrykit were born, we couldn't wait to meet you," he meowed.

Echokit thought for a moment, Shellkit had always hung around Berrykit and often joined in on teasing her, but Echokit could tell she just wanted to impress Berrykit, however Sagekit had always been quiet and reserved and often spent time playing by herself or helping Petalwish soak moss. _Maybe she'll become medicine cat apprentice before me, that way i'll have to be a warrior._ "Are you still there?" Pricklekit asked jokingly.

Echokit looked up, "Yeah, sorry I just got lost in my thoughts."

He let out a purr of amusement, "We all do that."

"Y-yeah I do it alot," Echokit agreed.

"I'm hungry," Pricklekit blurted out, "do you want some fresh kill?"

Echokit shook her head, "I'm not hungry."

"Suit yourself." Pricklekit padded off.

Echokit shifted her gaze back to the nursery, Cedarheart was pacing back and forth, clearly he was worried. _I don't know that I'd like to stay in the nursery for six moons, that sounds too long, but having kits would be great._ Mistyshine poked her head out of the nursery, "Come on in," she meowed.

"Can I come too?" Echokit pricked her ears with excitement.

Mistyshine nodded, "Of course, but try to be quiet, the kits will be sleeping."

Echokit padded over excitedly and stumbled inside to reveal Dawnysky sitting curled around three tiny kits, but something was't right, only one seemed to be mewling. "Why aren't they making any noises?" Echokit asked.

"Two of them are very weak, Petalwish doesn't know whether they'll survive the night," Mistyshine whispered into her ear.

 _Poor Dawnysky, imagine going thorugh all that pain to have two kits who are barely alive!_ "They're beautiful," Cedarheart purred.

"I just hope that they turn out fine," Dawnsky's mew was filled with worry.

"You should name them," Dappleleaf suggested, "that way if they don't make it they'll have names in StarClan."

"Good idea," Cedarheart agreed, touching his tail to the smallest, a speckled brown she-kit, "Wishkit."

"Oh Cedarheart, that name is beautiful," Dawnsky purred, "I think the tom should be called Thrushkit."

"Yes and the other she-kit Brindlekit," Cedarheart meowed softly.

"Those names are wonderful," Mistyshine purred.

"May StarClan light their path and let them live to be warriors," Petalwish murmured.

 **Another chapter down! Make sure to review it!**


	6. Chapter Four

**Chapter Four**

"Oh StarClan no, don't let him leave me!" Dawnysky's wail rang throughout the camp.

"Poor Dawnysky," Echokit whispered in Pricklekit's ear, "And Thrushkit."

"This shouldn't be put upon any cat," Pricklekit's meow was filled with sadness.

One moon had passed since Dawnsky had given birth, it had been a moon of ups and downs, however Wishkit and Brindlekit had become perfectly healthy, but Thrushkit had gotten worse by the day and it was well known to Dawnsky, Cedarheart and the rest of the clan that he wasn't going to live to become an apprentice. "Let all cats join beneath the highledge for a clan meeting!" Stonestar yowled.

"He must be reporting Thrushkit's death," Echokit murmured.

Mistyshine and Dappleleaf both padded from the nursery, their gazes were clouded with grief. "Come watch with us," Dappleleaf murmured.

Echokit followed the two queens to a shady spot on the edge of the clearing. "They'll be upset too," Pricklekit murmured, "the queens share the duties of looking after the kits amongst eachother."

Echokit looked to the middle of the clearing, Dawnysky huddled around Thrushkit, vigorously licking his chest, next to her was Cedarheart who sat with his tail curled around Brindlekit and Wishkit, who looked traumatized. "I can't begin to imagine how scary it'd be for those two kits." Echokit heard one of the elders, Thornpelt murmur to Squirreltail, another elder.

"Today I have gathered you to announce the sad news that Thrushkit has joined StarClan, as you all know, he was only a moon old and he never had the chance to play with the other kits," Stonestar murmured sadly, "But of course life must move on and by saying that I announce my deputy, Smokefang has decided to step down and become an elder."

Murmurs of shock rose throughout the clearing, before Smokefang silenced the clan with his tail, "I was blessed to have the oppurtunity to serve you all for so long, but it's my turn to become an elder and let another cat take my place."

Stonestar lifted his greyed muzzle, "From this moment on, the new deputy will be Mudsplash!" he announced.

Echokit's heart lifted in surprise, _My father!_ "Thank you, Stonestar, I promise to serve you and the rest of ThunderClan as well as I can."

Next to Mudsplash, his apprentice, Mousepaw glared at him, her amber eyes shining with excitement. Echokit was distracted by Berrykit who was glaring at her, eyes filled with amusement, "are you excited for the day when you receive your medicine cat name?" he teased.

"What medicine cat name?" Echokit shot back at him, "I'm excited for the day I'll be named deputy and the shocked look you'll have in your eyes when you realise that really I can be a warrior."

Berrykit glared at her for a few moments before turning back around. _That's right, Berrykit, you know the truth, I'm going to be the best warrior ever!_

 **Not the longest or most exciting chapter, but I hope you liked it! Remember to review!**


	7. Chapter Five

**Chapter Five**

"Pricklekit, until you receive your warrior name, you shall be known as Pricklepaw, Hawkfeather will mentor you."

Echokit's paws prickled with envy, as her friend touched his nose to Hawkfeather's and sat down beside his sisters, who'd been apprenticed to Petalwish and Icefeather. Fortunately for Echokit, Sagepaw had become medicine cat apprentice, meaning that she had no choice but to become a warrior. "I don't know why Stonestar let Sagepaw become medicine cat apprentice, I guess you're going to have to be an elder," Berrykit scoffed.

"Now that's not true," Mudsplash padded up behind them, his eyes gleaming, "you'll both be apprentices in less than a moon."

"I hope you're my mentor!" Berrykit meowed.

"I just mentored Mouseleap and there's plenty of young warriors who are itching to mentor an apprentice, I doubt that Stonestar will choose me to mentor either of you."

"I wonder who'll mentor me!" Echokit exclaimed.

"Probably Squirreltail, she'd be the perfect cat to teach you how to be an elder," Berrykit responded.

"Now, that's no way to treat your sister," Mudsplash scolded him.

"What? I'm only speaking the truth," Berrykit protested.

Echokit rolled her eyes. _Just you wait and see, Berrykit._

 **Sorry it's only a short chapter, I'll make Berrykit and Echokit apprentices in chapter seven. I know Echokit's eye hasn't had much of an influence on the story yet, but it will when she's an apprentice, I promise.**


	8. Chapter Six

**Chapter Six**

Echokit watched at the sun rose above the camp, it's weak light shining onto her pelt. _I hope Pricklepaw wakes up soon, I really want to hear about the gathering!_ "Echokit, what are you doing up so early?" Mudsplash meowed from the mouth of the thorn barrier, he was standing beside Redflame and Dappleleaf. "I-i couldn't sleep," she responded.

"Was it cold?" Dappleleaf asked, "I can definetely feel leaf-bare coming on."

Echokit shook her head, "not really, I just wasn't tired."

"We'd better leave, the prey comes out early to find food," Redflame meowed, looking at the dawn sky.

"Good idea, we'll see you later, Echokit!" Mudsplash meowed.

Echokit dipped her head, "goodbye."

 _I can't wait to be an apprentice, I miss having Pricklepaw in the same den as me and I might finally be able to have some freedom from Berrykit._

"Echokit is that you?" Echokit whipped around to see Pricklepaw standing behind her.

Hawkfeather padded up behind him, "shouldn't you be in your nest?" he asked.

"I couldn't sleep, I wanted to find out about the gathering," her ears pricked with curiosity.

"Well," Pricklepaw started, "nothing much happened, but WindClan accused us of prey stealing."

Echokit tilted her head, "Really?" she meowed, "but we're aren't stealing prey!"

"I know," Pricklepaw rolled his eyes, "they accused RiverClan too."

"What old fleabags, aren't they fat enough from all the rabbits they eat?" Echokit scoffed.

"Apparently not," Hawkfeather meowed, "come on Pricklepaw, I want to quickly work on your hunting crouch so that we can hunt later."

"Alright, goodbye Echokit, i'll speak to you later."

"Bye!" Echokit called out to him as he followed his mentor out of camp.

 **Ooh WindClan are getting hostile, what's going to happen in the future? I'll make Echokit and Berrykit apprentices in the next chapter.**


	9. Chapter Seven

**Chapter Seven**

Echokit flinched beneath her mothers paws as she vigorously licked her. "Stop squirming, Echokit, I want you to look neat for your apprentice ceremony," she scolded.

"You've been cleaning me for ages!" Echokit protested.

Mistyshine finally let her out of her grip, "Fine," she meowed, "now I want you to walk out there like _sensible_ apprentices, not kits who have left the nursery for the first time."

"You two are so lucky!" Wishkit called from the edge of the den.

"Yeah, I can't wait to become a 'paw!" Brindlekit agreed.

Echokit let out a purr of amusement, she had grown to become quite good friends with the two younger kits and admired how they'd dealt with the loss of their brother, Thrushkit when they were only a moon old. "Do you think Stonestar will make Thrushkit an apprentice at our ceremony, so that he can be an apprentice in StarClan?" Wishkit asked.

"I'm sure we can request it," Dawnsky purred.

Brindlekit tilted her head, "who'll mentor him, silly?"

Echokit felt a pang of sadness as the two kits bantered with one another. _Why couldn't Berrykit and I have a relationship like that?_

"Are you two ready? Stonestar just called the clan together." Mudsplash poked his head into the nursery, he looked just as excited as Echokit was.

"Yes!" Echokit exclaimed, padding after him.

 _Walk like a sensible apprentice, not a kit who has left the nursery for the first time._ Mistyshine's words rung in her head as she padded to the foot of the highledge and settled down. She looked over to Pricklepaw, who gazed at her, his amber eyes beaming with joy. "Berrykit, Echokit please step forward," Stonestar ordered.

Echokit stepped forward, her paws tingling with excitement, however at the same time she was nervous. "Berrykit, until you receive your warrior name, you shall be known as Berrypaw, Fawnripple, I trust you will pass down all that Longwhisker ever taught you onto Berrypaw," Stonestar announced.

Echokit couldn't help but let out a purr of amusement as she saw the shocked look on Berrypaw's face. _He thought he was gonna get Mudsplash!_ "And finally, Echokit, until you receive you warrior name, you shall be known as Echopaw, Dappleleaf I trust you will train her exceptionally well and help her find some ways to hunt and fight with her eye," Stonestar meowed.

 _Dappleleaf, that's Pricklepaw's mother and she's so nice!_ Echopaw felt her heart leaping with excitement as she touched noses with her new mentor. "Don't worry I won't be harsh," Dappleleaf whispered in her ear.

"Echopaw! Berrypaw!" The clan chanted over and over.

Once Stonestar had dismissed the clan, Echopaw turned to Dappleleaf. "What are we going to do today?" she asked eagerly.

Dappleleaf thought for a moment, "how'd you like a tour of the territory?"

"I'd love that!" she exclaimed.

"Then so be it, we'll do that," Dappleleaf purred.

Echopaw followed her mentor to the thorn barrier, she felt more and more excited as she took each pawstep through it, trying her best not to let her pelt catch onto the prickly thorns. "It's the most annoying thing when your pelt gets caught on the thors, and it hurts too," Dappleleaf meowed.

"I could imagine," Echopaw murmured, still trying to dodge the thorns.

Echopaw could feel her heart lift with excitement as she padded through the exit of the thorn tunnel to reveal a lush, green forest that was lit up by the bright rays of sun that came pouring down the sky like rain. "Wow!" she exclaimed.

"Welcome to ThunderClan's territory," Dappleleaf purred.

"It's so big!" Echopaw glared at her mentor, excitement flashing in her dark blue eyes.

"Wait until you see the lake." Dappleleaf started to pad off into the trees.

Echopaw bounded after her, amazed by the thick, green bushes and the large oaks that surrounded her. "Make sure you always stay aware of your surroundings whenever you're out of camp, you never know what could be lurking around you, a badger could be getting ready to punce on you and kill you at any moment," Dappleleaf instructed.

"How do I tell what a badger or fox smells like when i've never smelt one before?" Echopaw tilted her head in a confused matter.

"Oh trust me, it's instinctive, you'll know what it is when you smell it," her mentor replied.

Echopaw nodded slightly and continued to follow her mentor. "Can you see the lake?" Dappleleaf asked after a few moments.

Echopaw stopped and looked in front of her, through the dense trees she caught a glimpse of a large body of shining water. "Yes!" Echopaw exclaimed.

Out of excitement, she started to run towards the lake. "Echopaw watch out!" Dappleleaf called as Echopaw stumbled over a large tree log and rolled onto the pebbly shore of the lake.

 _Ouch, my head!_ She looked up dazingly, to see Dappleleaf standing over her, her eyes were shining with concern. "Are you okay?" she asked.

"Y-yeah it hurts though," Echopaw managed to lift her head.

"Thank StarClan you didn't land in the water, that could've ended tragically."

"Why didn't I see that log?" Echopaw mumbled, annoyance in her tone.

"We all make mistakes, don't worry," Dappleleaf reassured her.

 _Really? I think it was my eye, oh StarClan please don't let it affect my training._ "I suppose," she responded.

"Come on lets get you back to camp," Dappleleaf meowed softly, lifting Echopaw to her paws.

 **Fianlly chapter 7! I was going to post it last night but I had graduation and I didn't get the time to finish it, but I hope you enjoyed! Please remember to review!**


	10. Chapter Eight

**Chapter Eight**

"Echopaw, wake up?"

Echopaw awoke the the voice of Dappleleaf, who was standing over her. "Is your head okay?" her mentor asked.

"Not anymore," Echopaw responded, she no longer felt dazed as she did the day before.

"Want to go on a border patrol then?"

Echopaw leapt to her feet, her first border patrol! "Yes!" she exclaimed.

"Okay then, follow me," Dappleleaf instructed, padding out of the den.

Echopaw followed her, excitement beating at her chest. "Hey Echopaw, what are you doing today?" Pricklepaw came bounding up to her.

"We're going on border patrol now and i'm not sure what we're going to do later," she replied.

"Sounds fun, i'll see you later," Pricklepaw responded.

"Bye Pricklepaw!" Echopaw called out as she continued to follow her mentor to the end of the thorn barrier, with them was Rainsplash and Lionwhisker.

"We should try WindClan's border," Lionwhisker suggested, "since tensions are high with them right now, we should be checking the borders more often."

"Good idea," Rainsplash agreed.

"Sounds like a plan," Dappleleaf added.

"Longwhisker used to tell me WindClan are the most hostile and selfish cats in the whole forest and they often accuse other clans of stealing prey when they haven't," Echopaw meowed.

"He's not wrong," Rainsplash purred, "It seems a bit odd that two clans would be stealing from the same clan at the same time."

"If they make more accusations at the next gathering, Stonestar is bound to do something about it," Dappleleaf chimed in.

"I think so, but he's not the type of leader to jump straight into an attack, he might try to do something more sensbile first," Lionwhisker agreed.

As they reached the WindClan border, the strong scent of rabbits and grass hit Echopaw's nose, causing her nose to tingle. "What do you ThunderClan cats want?" a large grey tom stood near what Echopaw assumed was the border between the two clans, his shoulders were hunched and he looked frail, the three cats that pelted him looked as if they hadn't eaten much either.

"They do look skinny," Echopaw whispered to Dappleleaf.

"I know," Dappleleaf agreed.

"We've only come to check the border, Flinttooth," Lionwhisker meowed.

"Well you won't find any WindClan scent on your territory," a golden tabby she-cat meowed curtly.

"And let's hope we don't find any ThunderClan scent on ours, I wouldn't be surprised if there was though," added a pale brown tom.

"You won't find any ThunderClan scent, we are competent enough to hunt on our own territory, thank you very much," remarked Rainsplash.

"Well I sure hope so," Flinttooth meowed," anyway, we'd better get back to our camp, if any patrols scent you on our territory you'll be sorry."

"Don't worry you won't," Dappleleaf assured him, "come on, we'd better go too."

 **Hope you all enjoyed this chapter, despite it being a bit boring, thank you all for the reviews, keep doing it!**


	11. Chapter Nine

**Chapter Nine**

Echopaw followed Dappleleaf through the forest, her pelt ruffled by the cold wind that glided through the trees, she was on her way to learning about hunting. "Brr, it sure is cold today!" Dappleleaf shivered.

"I know," Echopaw responded.

The day before had been so nice with blue skies and plenty of sun, it wasn't a good day to hunt, but instead to curl up in her warm nest and sleep.

"Are you ready?" Dappleleaf asked, stopping at a grassy clearing near the centre of the territory.

"I sure am!" Echopaw exclaimed, she had been looking forward to this for moons.

"Okay, I'll teach you the proper hunting crouch first."

Dappleleaf shifted herself into a low crouch, her tail was tucked underneath her hindlegs and one forepaw seemed to be in front of the other. Echopaw copied her, her spine prickling with confidence. "Am I doing it right?" just as she finished speaking, she toppled over into the grass. _Oof!_

Dappleleaf let out a purr of amusement, "Don't tuck your tail in so far that you lose balance," she advised.

 _Of course, I was never going to do it right!_ Echopaw leapt back to her paws and shifted herself back into the position, this time not tucking her tail in as far.

"Good," Dappleleaf's mew was satisfied, "your tail is important for balance, but you don't want it to sweep against the leaves."

"Why can't I just hold it in the air then?" Echopaw tilted her head to one side.

"That's another technique that we'll try once you've mastered this," her mentor replied, "now show me your stalking."

Without trying to get too cocky, Echopaw started to creep forward, like the way she used to creep up on Mudsplash. "Good job, you're a natural, but always remember be slow and silent, if you do that then your prey won't realise that you're there," Dappleleaf explained.

Echopaw nodded, _I can't wait to tell Berrypaw that Dappleleaf said i'm a natural, his reaction will be hilarious!_ "Can I try catch real prey?"

Dappleleaf shook her head, "Not so fast, you need to practice pouncing of something first and then the whole thing again."

 _Oh for StarClan's sake, it can't be that hard, I just want to catch my first piece of prey!_ "Okay," she murmured.

"Don't worry it's easy, you just have to try to be as accurate as possible and slam down hard, not so hard that you'll hurt yourself but hard enough your prey won't be able to escape from your grip," Dappleleaf told her.

 _I can do that!_ Echopaw nodded confidently. "Try on that stick." Her mentor pointed her tail to a small stick a few fox lengths away.

Echopaw pounced at the stick, but without thinking about her accuracy, she landed with her back paws on it, instead of her front paws. "You came down perfectly hard, but you need to remember accuracy next time, even a mouse could escape from your back paws, they don't have as much power, now try again."

Echopaw padded back to where she was before and leaped at the stick again, this time landing on it perfectly. "Excellent!" Dappleleaf praised her with a purr, "now try the whole routine."

With a sigh, Echopaw lowered into her hunting crouch and crept forward, when she was close enough to the stick, she leapt, landing on it perfectly. "Wow, Echopaw i'm really amazed, that was perfect!" Dappleleaf seemed shocked.

Echopaw puffed out her chest in pride. _I bet any cat would've been able to do that, but I might as well enjoy the pride while I can, after all I might struggle to catch real prey._


	12. Chapter Ten

**Chapter Ten**

Echopaw emerged from the apprentices den, her pelt ruffled from sleep. Outside the air was chilly and frost sparkled on the grassy clearing. "The first snow should be soon," Shellpaw padded out behind her, her voice sounded drowsy.

 _I wonder what leaf-bare is actually like._ Echopaw thought to herself, all the elders used to tell of it being miserable with prey always beimg scarce and greencough spreading throughout the camp, causing many deaths. "Let's hope no cat gets sick, remember a couple of leaf bares ago when we lost Frecklewing, Russettail and Patchear to greencough?" she overheard one of the elders, Squirreltail mumble to Dovefeather.

"And you couldn't forget Silverkit," Dovefeather's voice seemed to be hoarse with grief.

"Oh of course I wouldn't forget your sister, she was so young," Squirreltail responded.

 _How could such fate be held upon a young kit? I hope nothing happens to Brindlekit or Wishkit, Cedarheart and Dawnsky couldn't bare to lose another._

"Hey Echopaw, can you help me carry this moss to the medicine den?" she was frightened by Sagepaw's meow sounding from beside her.

"O-of course," she murmured, picking up the moss and carrying it to the medicine den, she placed it by the herb store at the back.

"Thanks!" Sagepaw purred, "I'll save you some for your nest!"

Echopaw dipped her head, "it's okay, mines still fresh, I only made it three days ago."

"If you insist," Sagepaw meowed as she started to sort herbs.

Echopaw padded out the den, "tell me if you need help with anything."

"Will do," Sagepaw called out.

Outside, she was greeted by Dappleleaf, "Do you remember what you learnt yesterday?" she asked

"Of course I do," Echopaw responded.

"How'd you like to try hunting _real_ prey?"

Echopaw's spine started to tingle with excitement, "I'd love that!" she exclaimed.

"Then let's go."

Echopaw bounded after her mentor, who led her to a dense part of the territory. "Quickly, before we start I want you to try tasting the air for prey," Dappleleaf meowed

 _Are you kidding me, I just want to hunt!_ With slight hesitation, Echopaw tasted the air, she was hit by the sensation that there was a mouse somewhere nearby. She looked around, a small brown mouse was picking at an acron by a large oak tree. Quickly, she lowered into her hunting croch and crept forward, when she was close, she leapt at it but it slipped away before she noticed, which was unbeknownst to Echopaw, meaning that she hand landed on plain ground. _Huh, where'd it go?_ Echopaw looked around confusedly. _Oh StarClan, please don't tell me my eye was playing tricks on me again._

"Um Echopaw, are you okay? the mouse slipped away," Dappleleaf meowed.

"I know!' Echopaw cried, she had missed her chance to catch prey for her clan all because she couldn't see it running away!

"It's okay," Dappleleaf assured her, "it's your first time, you aren't going to get everything right."

"But all the other apprentices caught prey the first time they tried." Echopaw flattened her ears in protest.

"You're right, but there's no point giving up, we'll go back to camp for now and try again tomorrow," Dappleleaf meowed.

 **Sorry, this was only a short, boring chapter but please keep reviewing and thank you to those who have!**


	13. Chapter Eleven

**Chapter Eleven**

Echopaw splayed herself in the weak, leaffall sunlight that flowed throughout the camp like water. A few days had passed and she still hadn't caught a single piece of prey, apart from a mouse that was already half dead. She seemed to be completely missing it and landing nowhere near where it actually was. Her mentor, Dappleleaf seemed to try everything she could but nothing was working, however she kept promising Echopaw that she'll think of a way. _This sun is so nice, but I can't enjoy it knowing that I'm failing to be an apprentice._ Echopaw thought to herself, her paws prickling with envy. _Maybe Berrypaw's right, I should be a medicine cat, but if StarClan accepted Sagepaw as apprentice, then I must be made to become a warrior._

"Echopaw." She recognised the voice of Dappleleaf and leapt to her paws. "We're going to learn some battle moves in the training hollow, you need a break from hunting."

"Okay," she murmured, padding after her mentor. _Maybe I'll have a bit more luck with fighting._

Echopaw was surprised to see Pricklepaw and Shellpaw having a practice fight, their mentors Hawkfeather and Icefeather calling out commands as they battled against one another. Dappleleaf watched in delight at her two kits who were deep in concentration. Icefeather stopped them with a flick of her tail. "Did you want to use the training hollow?" she asked.

"Only if it's okay with you," Dappleleaf purred.

"Of course, we can go hunting now we've been here all morning," Hawkfeather meowed.

Dappleleaf dipped her head, "thank you."

"It's nothing," Icefeather responded.

"Goodbye Echopaw!" Pricklepaw called out to her as he left.

"Goodbye!" she responded.

"Okay, let's start with a basic paw swipe, just copy me," Dappleleaf instructed.

Echopaw watched as he mentor swiped the air. "Try to be as hard and quick as you can, that way your enemy won't duck while your paw is mid-air."

Echopaw nodded and swiped at the air with strength and swiftness. _That wasn't hard._ she thought. "Good," Dappleleaf meowed, "now try to rear up on your hindlegs and do it, keep you tail high then you won't fall over."

Echopaw reared up onto her hindlegs and performed the swipe again, this time not as quickly. "Nice, but next time be a bit quicker," Dappleleaf advised her.

 _I'm not as bad as I thought i'd be, but then again it's only a paw swipe._ "Now we'll do a simple back kick, any time I teach you moves i'll do it first then you copy."

Dappleleaf kicked her back legs into the air, sending a cloud of dust into the air. _She makes that look easy, I just hope I can do that._ Echopaw kicked out her legs into the air. "Try to go a bit higher next time, but other than that good," Dappleleaf meowed, "I would teach you more, but Mudsplash asked whether you could help clean out the elders den at sunhigh, so we'll just go through the golden rule of the training hollow."

 _Clean out the elders den? Are you kidding me?_ "The golden rule is basic; claws must be sheathed at all time, we don't want any injuries from training otherwise we'd have cats dropping off like fur."

Echopaw nodded, "That's obvious."

"I know but alot of cats forget," Dappleleaf meowed.

 **Well that chapter was boring to write, but probably even worse to read! Please review.**


	14. Chapter Twelve

**Chapter Twelve**

"Let all cats gather beneath the highledge for a clan meeting!" Stonestar's yowl rang throughout the camp.

Echopaw looked up from her mouse and padded over to sit down next to Pricklepaw. "I think he's announcing who gets to go to the gathering," she whispered.

"Probably," Pricklepaw agreed, "I probably won't go because I went last moon, but you might."

"I sure do hope so."

As the whole clan gathered, Stonestar raised his tail for silence. "The cats who will be coming to the gathering are Emberstep, Foxnose, Birchshade, Mistyshine, Fawnripple, Oakfang, Leafshine, Creekshade, Lionwhisker, Crowfang, Dappleleaf, Mouseleap, Berrypaw and Echopaw."he announced.

Echopaw's ears pricked with excitement. Her first gathering! "Come on Echopaw, we leave right away," Dappleleaf meowed.

She leapt to her paws and followed the group of cats out of camp. "Have fun!" she heard Pricklepaw call out faintly as she padded through the thorn barrier.

"Stonestar, what will we do if WindClan don't let us travel through their territory?" one of the warriors, Birchshade called out.

"They can't not, there's a truce, Ivystar would be insane to not let us," Stonestar replied.

 _They better, otherwise I'll rip all their pelts off!_ "Are you excited?" Echopaw leapt up in surprise as her mother, Mistyshine padded out from behind to walk beside her. "Of course," Echopaw replied.

"I sure do hope training isn't too hard on you," her mother meowed.

"No, not at all Dappleleaf's a great mentor," she meowed.

"I could imagine," Mistyshine purred, "you know she spends alot of time thinking of ways to hunt without your eye effecting you, you'd better thank her dearly once you receive your warrior name."

 _That's if I ever do receive my warrior name._ Echopaw let out a sigh, "It just gets in the way alot."

"Then you just have to work around it, push yourself more, you'll get there with time," Mistyshine told her, "trust me, being an apprentice isn't a race to see who can become a warrior first, it's to train you to serve your clan."

"Thanks," Echopaw mumbled.

"Is Berrypaw still giving you a hard time?"

"Not so much anymore, but he still does," Echopaw meowed.

The two chattered away until they finally reached the half-tree bridge that'd take them onto the gathering island. "Be careful where you step and dig your claws in," Mistyshine meowed.

Echopaw unsheathed her claws and carefully walked along the bridge, her paws shaking. "Don't fall," Berrypaw called from further back in a teasingly matter.

She let out a low growl and kept walking along until she reached the end, safely. _Thank StarClan, I would've froze if I fell in._ "Looks like we're the first to arrive!" Mudsplash announced.

Echopaw glared around in amazement, the great oak stood high, it's massive leaves rustling in the slight breeze that shook the night and above them the full moon shone brightly. She screwed up her nose in disgust as she recognised the smell of WindClan. _Ugh, dirty fleabags!_ "Greetings Ivystar," Stonestar dipped his head to the leader, he'd already leapt onto his branch. Ivystar didn't reply, but instead shot him a curt glance and leapt onto her branch. Not long after, RiverClan arrived. "Ugh they smell disgusting, like fish!" Echopaw whispered to Dappleleaf.

"I know, but atleast they're nicer than WindClan cats," Dappleleaf replied.

"Greetings Stonestar, how is ThunderClan faring?" the leader of RiverClan, Minnowstar meowed to Stonestar as she leapt onto her branch.

"Quite well and RiverClan?"

Echopaw stopped listening as the ShadowClan cats poured onto the island, their leader, Smallstar in front with his deputy, Brightwing. "Don't worry about socialising right now, there'll be time for that later," Dappleleaf meowed, "there's a cat I want you to meet and I believe she had an apprentice last time I saw her."

"Let the gathering begin!" Smallstar's yowl echoed throughout the whole island, causing all the cats to fall dead silent, "ShadowClan will start off with announcing that we have three new apprentices, Flamepaw, Slatepaw and Weedpaw, their mentors are Littlewhisker, Quailfeather and Poolspark, Sunnyblaze is also expecting Weaseltail's kits."

"Flamepaw! Slatepaw! Weedpaw!" all four clans, apart from WindClan seemed to be cheering for the new apprentices.

"ThunderClan also has new apprentices, Berrypaw and Echopaw have been apprenticed to Fawnripple and Dappleleaf," Stonestar announced.

"Berrypaw! Echopaw!"

Echopaw puffed out her chest in pride, the cats from ThunderClan, RiverClan and ShadowClan were cheering her name! _Why isn't WindClan joining in?_

"RiverClan has announced two new warriors; Marshtail and Treeflight," Minnowstar reported, "and much to my sadness, I report that our elder, Tallfoot has passed away from a bout of some sickness that neither Lilysong or Pebblefall could detect."

Sad murmurs rose throughout the clearing of the island for the elder, but the clans still cheered for Marshtail and Treeflight. "If you'd all be quiet," Ivystar sounded angry, "RiverClan and ThunderClan are still stealing our prey, my warriors have constantly detected your scents on our territory."

"ThunderClan has done no such thing!" Stonestar leapt to his paws, his tail was lashing fiercely.

"Your warriors are making up lies, Ivystar," Minnowstar meowed through gritted teeth.

"Do not accuse my warriors of being liars!" Ivystar hissed.

 _She's insane._ Echopaw lashed her tail, ThunderClan has not stolen prey from WindClan! Murmurs of anger rose up into the air. "Ivystar, It seems a little unusual that two clans would be taking your prey at once," Smallstar, the ShadowClan leader meowed calmly.

"Well I am _not_ lying, I myself has detected their scents constantly," Ivystar spat.

"WindClan are just a bunch of liars looking for a fight!" a RiverClan warrior called out.

"No we are not!" Ivystar leapt down from the great oak, "Come on WindClan, we're leaving."

As they started to shuffle from the clearing Ivystar looked back at the leaders, "you'll be sorry!"

Echopaw looked to Dappleleaf, "she's crazy!"

"I know," Dappleleaf agreed.

Minnowstar lashed her tail to silence the three remaining clans, "We will still have time to socialise tonight, as Stonestar and myself must discuss what we do about WindClan."

 _They better do something._ "Hey, Echopaw come meet Sandwhisker and her apprentice!" Echopaw didn't realise her mentor had padded off and settled down with a pale ginger she-cat. She bounded over excitedly, the pale ginger cat was sitting next to a skinny black tom that had a brown underbelly and stripes on his tail. "Greetings Echopaw, i'm Sandwhisker and this is my apprentice, Spiderpaw," the pale ginger cat meowed.

"Nice to meet you, and Spiderpaw," Echopaw dipped her head.

"You two try and get to know eachother," Dappleleaf meowed.

By Spiderpaw's smell, Echopaw detect that he was a RiverClan cat. "Hi!" Spiderpaw meowed, "are you from ThunderClan?"

Echopaw nodded, "how long have you been training for?"

"Almost a moon," Spiderpaw told her, "what about you?"

"Only a quarter of a moon."

"Is this your first gathering?" Spiderpaw asked.

"Yeah, I assume it's your first too," Echopaw replied.

Spiderpaw nodded, "my brother, Cloudpaw was going to come, but he has a cough so he couldn't, I wish you could meet him!"

"Well my brother is Berrypaw and he's here but he always teases me about being blind in one eye, so I don't really like him."

"Oh, fair enough," Spiderpaw looked to the great oak, "I can't believe WindClan keep accusing our clans of prey stealing!"

"I know," Echopaw agreed, "Ivystar is crazy."


	15. Chapter Thirteen

**Chapter Thirteen**

Echopaw creeped forward at the squirrel and when she was close enough, she pounced, killing in with a swift bite to it's neck. _It worked! My first catch!_ Her paws tingled with excitement as she held the squirrel in her jaws. Dappleleaf had come up with a technique where if she closed her bad eye while hunting, it wouldn't distract her and she'd be able to focus on the catch. "Echopaw, I'm so happy it worked!" Dappleleaf leapt from the bushes. "I know!" Echopaw flicked her tail in excitement, the two days that had passed since the gathering had been exciting, Minnowstar and Stonestar had agreed that attacking WindClan in three sunrises from now was the best option, to show them that they weren't stealing prey and to knock some sense into them. "Do you think Stonestar will let me fight?" Echopaw asked as they started to head towards camp.

"Maybe, he might let you be a backup, after all you haven't been an apprentice for very long," Dappleleaf meowed.

"I hope I atleast get to go."

"Battles can be scary," Dappleleaf meowed, "I'll take you battle training until them and have him come to a session to see whether he'd like you to fight or not."

As they padded into the camp, Echopaw puffed her chest out and held her tail with pride, drawing eyes to her squirrel that she'd caught. "Dappleleaf's tactic worked!" Mistyshine padded over to congratulate her, Mudsplash was following right behind.

"You sure are turning into a fine young warrior Echopaw," Mudsplash purred.

"Why don't you so see if Brindlekit and Wishkit would like it, if not ask the elders," Dappleleaf suggested.

"Okay," her mew was muffled from all the fur.

Echopaw bounded over to the nursery where Wishkit and Brindlekit looked as if they were playing a game of _catch the mouse._ Wishkit looked up at her, her dark blue eyes were gleaming, "Hey Brindlekit, look what Echopaw has brought for us!" she squeaked.

"Finally, i'm _starved_ ," Brindlekit hopped over excitedly.

Echopaw placed it on the grassy floor for them, "Enjoy it, it's my first catch."

Her gaze was drawn to Dawnsky as she emerged from the nursery, "Oh thank you, Echopaw, please have some yourself, my two wont finish that."

"Why don't you have some instead?" Echopaw offered.

Dawnsky shook her head, "I promised Ravenwing to share with her later, it's your first catch too, you deserve some," the queen insisted.

"Okay." Echopaw settled down and dug into the squirrel, it's fresh taste made her mouth water and she cherished each bite. _That was a tasty first catch, if I do say so myself._

 **Sorry it's really short and boring! The battle may not be in the next chapter, but maybe the one after. I'll see! Please keep reading and review1**


	16. Chapter Fourteen

**Chapter Fourteen**

Echopaw dropped her vole onto the fresh kill pile, it was the day before the battle and all the apprentices had been ordered to hunt, she'd caught a vole and a mouse, which was buried under a pile of leaves for leaf-bare. "The RiverClan cats will be here soon," Pricklepaw meowed. In the days earlier, Stonestar had visited RiverClan and they'd agreed to bring the cats they wanted to fight to ThunderClan's camp for the night. "I don't know if i'll be able to handle their smell overnight," Shellpaw chimed in.

"I know," Echopaw agreed.

"RiverClan has arrived!" a patrol consisting of Birchshade, Owlheart and Dovefeather burst through the thorn barrier, excitement was glittering in their eyes.

Stonestar leapt onto the highledge, ready to address the cats as they made their way into the camp. Echopaw was hit by the fishy smell that they held as the cats poured into the camp and sat down beneath the highledge. She glared at the cluster of cats, was Spiderpaw with them?

"Let all cats gather beneath the highledge for a clan meeting!" Stonestar yowled, Minnowstar was now next to him.

"Tomorrow we will wake at the crack of dawn so that we can attack WindClan and show them that we're not prey stealers!" he announced.

The two clans cheered loudly for a few moments before he raised his tail for silence. "We have decided to attack in patrols," he meowed, "The first two patrols will attack from either side of their camp while the third and fourth will come a while later, when I signal out, we will also have backups who will stay close by."

Echopaw glared at Pricklepaw, "I hope I get to attack," she whispered.

"Me too."

"The first patrol will be Stonestar, Emberstep, Foxnose, Ravenwing, Lionwhisker, Stonetail, Mosswhisker and Branchfall while i'll lead the second with Birchshade, Hawkfeather, Owlheart, Oakfang, Mistyshine, Otterfur, Patchflower, Rowanbush and Sagefall," Minnowstar announced.

"No apprentices?" Echopaw tilted her head.

"They'll be in the next ones," Pricklepaw told her.

"The third will be led by Mudsplash with Icefeather, Creekshade, Lionwhisker, Mouseleap, Jayflight, Primrosepelt and Duskwhisper while the fourth will be led by Spottedwing with Raventalon, Tumblestep, Speckleshell, Marshtail, Treeflight, Rainsplash, Hawkfeather, Icefeather, Pricklepaw and Shellpaw," Stonestar meowed, "The backup will be led by Leafshine and will consist of Berrypaw, Echopaw, Spiderpaw, Cloudpaw, Dappleleaf, Fawnripple, Sandwhisker and Ripplestripe, while the rest of you will guard the camp."

"Make sure you all rest up and eat plenty, I want the deputies to sort out some patrols to hunt," Minnowstar ordered.

Mudsplash raised his tail, he was sitting at the foot of the highledge next to Spottedwing. "Foxnose can take Dappleleaf, Echopaw and Mouseleap hunting, try the great oak, I spotted a nest of mice there this morning and I want Creekshade, Oakfang and Leafshine to go to the grassy clearing near the ShadowClan border."

"And I'll have Mintclaw, Otterfur, Ripplestripe and Cloudpaw fish in the lake while Patchflower, Primrosepelt, Sagefall and Treeflight go hunting for land prey," Spottedwing ordered.

"Do RiverClan cats actually know how to hunt land prey?" Echopaw whispered in Dappleleaf's ear as they left the camp.

"I think so," Dappleleaf replied.

"WindClan don't stand a chance against us," Mouseleap meowed, "we've got too many cats."

"That's the idea," Foxnose stated, "Stonestar said we're not fighting to kill, but simply to show them that we aren't afraid of them and we're not stealing prey."

"Let's hope that _they_ don't kill," Dappleleaf murmured.


	17. Chapter Fifteen

**Chapter Fifteen**

"ThunderClan attack!"

"RiverClan attack!"

Echopaw shuffled her paws uncomfortably as she heard a loud battle yowl break out near the WindClan camp. She was sitting near a cluster of dead bushes on WindClan's territory with the rest of the backup patrol, they were all ready to fight if it had come to that. "This is so exciting!" Spiderpaw exclaimed, "I wish I was there to see WindClan's faces when we attacked!"

"Spiderpaw be quiet, we don't want any WindClan cats to know that we're here," his mentor, Sandwhisker scolded him.

"Don't worry Sandwhisker, they'll be too worried about the third and fourth patrol," Dappleleaf assured her.

"If Stonestar calls out _backup attack_ we must be ready," the patrol leader, Leafshine ordered, "he also wants the apprentices to help take injured to the medicine cats, so you'll be running in and out."

"How will we know when to go collect an injured cat?" Cloudpaw asked.

"Minnowstar said something about having two messengers, I think Crowfang and Tumblestep are doing it," Ripplestripe replied.

The patrol sat silent for a few moments, listening to the blood-cauling battle cries that sounded throughout the air. _Oh StarClan, please let us win this battle._ "Quick, Stonestar is injured badly!" Crowfang came running up the slope that led to the bushes they were sitting by.

"Echopaw, Cloudpaw and Spiderpaw go help!" Leafshine ordered quickly.

Echopaw leapt to her paws and darted to the WindClan camp where all around her cats were fighting viciously, but at the corner of the camp, Stonestar lay, blood pouring from a large wound in his belly. She raced over to him, nervousness prickling at her paws. "Stonestar we've come to take you to the medicine cats," Echopaw meowed.

"N-no," he managed to stutter out, "My time is up, i've served my clan well but now it's time your father takes over."

"But Stonestar there's still fighting to do!" Spiderpaw wailed.

"Not for me, Mudsplash will lead you well," he rasped, "a-and Echopaw, have faith young warrior, you'll get there one day, you've got plenty of potential ahead of you."

"What do you mean?" Echopaw tilted her head.

"You'll know one-" Stonestar was cut off as he took a large gasp of air and fell limp, his blue eyes rolling back into his head.

"S-stonestar?" Echopaw's meow was shaken.

"I-is he dead?" Cloudpaw too seemed to be shocked and his paws were trembling.

"I think so." Spiderpaw dipped his head.

Echopaw leapt up in fright as Mudsplash came bounding up behind them, "Oh StarClan no!" He wailed, "ThunderClan retreat! this battle has been won, we don't need to cause WindClan anymore grief!"

"RiverClan, retreat back to our camp!" Minnowstar joined in.

"Come on, let's get Stonestar back to camp," Mudsplash meowed.


	18. Chapter Sixteen

**Chapter Sixteen**

"I say these words before the body of Stonestar, so that he may hear and approve of my choice, Emberstep will be the new deputy of ThunderClan," Mudstar, the new leader held his chin high as he appointed the new deputy.

"Emberstep! Emberstep!" The clan called out in approval for their new deputy.

Echopaw flicked her tail from side to side, it had been a long night with Mudstar leaving to receive his nine lives and all the news from the battle, apparently RiverClan had lost Mintclaw. _So WindClan did fight to kill, atleast we ended up winning in the end though._ "Echopaw, are you okay?" Dappleleaf asked, she was sitting beside her.

"Y-yeah," Echopaw replied.

"Did you want to go hunting? the clan needs food."

"I suppose so." she lifted herself to her feet and followed her mentor out of the camp.

"I want to go to WindClan's border to see if there's any patrols there, it'd be interesting to see what they have to say," Dappleleaf meowed.

"That's if they do say anything," Echopaw murmured.

"I suppose that's true," her mentor agreed.

A cold breeze washed over Echopaw as they reached the WindClan border, causing her pelt to fluff up like a kit's. "Brrrr!" she shivered, "Leafbare sure is coming."

"I know, Smokefang reckons the first snow will fall tonight," Dappleleaf replied.

"He may very well be right," Echopaw agreed.

"We'd better hunt before it gets too cold," Dappleleaf suggested and padded off.

Echopaw scanned the area around her, she spotted a frail rabbit picking at a berry bush, it too looked like it wanted food. She lowered into her hunting crouch and crept forward, when she was close enough, she leapt onto it, killing it with a swift blow to it's neck. _Wow, I just killed a rabbit!_ Echopaw thought for a moment, _Wait, I killed a rabbit without my blind eye closed._ Excitement washed over her like water, _Finally, things are starting to get better, like Stonestar predicted._ She glared up at the sky, was he watching over her in StarClan and blessing her with the ability to be a warrior? _Keep going Echopaw, things are going to get even better,_ a voice whispered in her ear. _Who was that?_ "Echopaw, you caught a rabbit!" Dappleleaf leapt out from the bushes behind her, a frail squirrel was clamped in her jaws. "Not only did I catch a rabbit, I caught it without closing my bad eye." Echopaw boasted, her chest was puffed out in pride. "Congratulations!" Dappleleaf purred, "you're overcoming you're bad eye more and more as the days go by." _Have faith young warrior, you'll get there one day, you've got plenty of potential ahead._ Stonestar's _last words rang in Echopaw's ears. Just don't let the evil capture you._ A voice added.

 **Oooh, what could the evil be? This chapter was a bit more interesting, keep reviewing!**


	19. Chapter Seventeen

**Chapter Seventeen**

"Greetings, Echopaw." Echopaw whipped around in fright to reveal a black and grey tom standing in front of her. _Why am I in this dark forest?_ she thought to herself. _Oh it stinks of rotting bones._ "Don't be scared," the tom meowed, "I'm not here to hurt you."

"How do you know my name?" she challenged, her tail was lashing vigorously from side to side.

"Because Echopaw, I come from StarClan," he replied, "My name's Darkclaw."

"This is StarClan?" Echopaw tilted her head in confusion.

"It sure is, young warrior," Darkclaw meowed.

"Then why is it so dark?"

"Not all parts of StarClan are as beautiful as they say, young one," Darkclaw meowed.

"Oh," Echopaw meowed, "But why am I here? I'm not a medicine cat."

"Because young one, I've come to make you an offer," Darkclaw responded, "If you promise to come train here with me every night, then I'll gift you with all of the power you can get."

"What do you mean by _train_?" Echopaw was confused.

"I'll teach you to hunt and fight better so that you can be better than Berrypaw," Darkclaw told her, "and you'll be able to see out of your blind eye here, so in the real world it's normal."

"Then I accept," Echopaw meowed, "I'll visit every night."

"Good," Darkclaw purred.

 _StarClan don't tell me I've done something wrong. But then again, this is StarClan._

 **Only a very short chapter, but I hope it was interesting! Keep reviewing!**


	20. Chapter Eighteen

**Chapter Eighteen**

"Duck, now spin!" Darkclaw called out.

Echopaw slashed at the ears of a ginger she-cat named Maplefoot, whom she often practiced her battle moves against. "Good, you can stop now," Darkclaw purred, "Echopaw the moves I've taught you have really started to become more noticeable, has your hunting been better?"

Echopaw nodded, "I always beat Berrypaw in battle training now, his reactions are always priceless!" she purred.

"Well I'm glad," Darkclaw purred, "You'll be earning your warrior name soon."

"Dappleleaf said I can have my assessment in two moons if I keep up the good work."

Echopaw had been training as an apprentice for three moons now and was getting better and better at everything she did by the day, making most of the clan surprised. "You'd better go now, the sun has started to rise," Darkclaw told her.

"Goodbye!" Echopaw meowed as she felt herself jolt awake.

Around her, the newly made apprentice, Wishpaw and Brindlepaw had already awoken and clearly started their early training. "Good morning Echopaw," Pricklepaw yawned as he lifted himself from his nest, "How was your night?"

"Good," Echopaw purred.

"Did you have a good dream? you seem happy." Pricklepaw flicked his tail with curiosity.

"No, I just slept well," she lied.

"Okay, well I'm going to go now." Pricklepaw padded out of the den.

"Goodbye Pricklepaw, have fun today!" she called out cheerfully.

 **Another short chapter! Please keep reviewing!**


	21. Chapter Nineteen

**Chapter Nineteen**

"Echopaw, how are you?" Darkclaw dipped his head as she appeared next to him.

"Hello, Darkclaw," she meowed, "What are we doing tonight?"

"Discussing future plans," Darkclaw meowed, "Follow me."

 _Future plans?_ Echopaw followed Darkclaw to a very dark point in the forest, where a group of cats sat around in a circle, they were all frail. "Echopaw, meet my clanmates," Darkclaw meowed.

 _Clanmates? Isn't all of StarClan his clanmates?_ "Hello young one, my name's Shrewstar, I'm the leader of the dark forest," a frail brown tom introduced himself, he was sitting on a large tree stump. _The Dark Forest?_ Echopaw felt as if she couldn't move for a moment, _Oh no, what have I gotten myself into? How didn't I think that this was the dark forest!_ "Don't be scared young one," Shrewstar meowed, "We don't mean harm."

 _And hedgehogs can fly! Oh StarClan, how am I going to tell them I don't want to be here, they'll kill me! These cats are evil!_ "Come on Echopaw, you weren't shy when I met you," Darkclaw tried to nudge her forward.

"No," she growled, "this isn't StarClan, Darkclaw."

Darkclaw's eyes widened with shock, "Well young one, it seems as if you aren't as dumb as we suspected, eh?"

Echopaw flicked her tail with annoyance, "Yes and I want to go home and _never_ come back."

"I'm afraid we can't let you do that," Shrewstar unsheathed his claws, "you'll go back and tell all of your clanmates about us and then we won't be able to go forward with any _plans_ let's say."

"What he's saying is we're going to have to kill you," Darkclaw added, his voice was now deep and he sounded serious.

"Well I won't let you!" Echopaw lashed her tail from side to side angrily.

"Really, you think an apprentice would be able to kill a whole clan of full grown warriors?" Darkclaw challenged.

"Yep!" Echopaw lied, trying to sound confident. _Oh no, what have I done to myself?_

"Well that's funny," Darkclaw smirked, "Try us."

A loud growl rumbled in Echopaw's throat as she pounced onto Darkclaw's back, and held him by the scruff. "Not so fast young one." Darkclaw meowed in a teasingly matter as he threw her off and into a tree. Before he could get the her, Echopaw leapt to her paws and jumped over him. "Come on Darkclaw, you're as bad as a kittypet!" one of the warriors scolded.

Darkclaw just scoffed and then leapt at Echopaw, pinning her to the ground. She retaliated quickly by kicking at his belly and then once he'd let go, she reared up onto her hindlegs and leapt onto him, biting at his neck, until finally, he fell limp. Echopaw looked down in horror, her paws trembling. _I can't believe I just did that!_ "You killed him," Shrewstar snarled, "now you'll have to pay."

 _Oh no, run!_ Echopaw made a dash for it, running as fast as she could, trying her best to not look back. _Please don't catch me!_ She kept running until she skidded to a halt, a large tree log, far too big for her to leap over appeared in front of her. _StarClan no!_ As Shrewstar started to corner her, a pale grey shape appeared out of nowhere and pinned him to the floor. "Stonestar!" she yowled, relief flooding over her like water.

"I will not let you harm a piece of fur on that cat!" Stonestar hissed, "Don't you see how important she'll be to ThunderClan one day?"

"And you really think I care?" Shrewstar snorted, "ThunderClan is full of soft kittypets, _not_ warriors, I couldn't care less about their future and I never have or going to!"

"I always thought you'd be better than that Shrewstar," Stonestar spat and looked back at Echopaw, "Go wake up, return to your nest!"

Echopaw awoke with a jolt, _Oh my StarClan, was that close!_ "Echopaw, are you okay?" Pricklepaw looked up from his nest.

"Y-yeah just a bad dream," she meowed.

 _I can't go back to sleep, It's too much of a risk of returning to that excuse for a place._ Echopaw rested her chin on her paws. _I will not let you harm a piece of fur on that cat! Can't you see how important she is to ThunderClan's future?_ Stonestar's words rang in her head, _What does he mean?_

 **I hope this chapter was a bit more interesting, I didn't want the whole training thing to drag on forever, as it'd get boring so I ended it there, but that's not the last of them. As always, please review, I absolutely love reading your thoughts and feedback!**


	22. Chapter Twenty

**Chapter Twenty**

"Pricklepaw, from this moment on you shall be known as Pricklenose, StarClan honours your bravery and courage and welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan," Mudstar announced.

Echopaw watched in awe as her friend touched noses with Mudstar and then his former mentor, Hawkfeather. "Pricklenose! Shelldapple! Pricklenose! Shelldapple!" The clan cheered the names of the two new warriors. _That'll be me in less than a moon._ Echopaw thought to herself, a moon had passed since her dark forest encounter and she had never returned back there, or seen Stonestar again for that matter. However, his words constantly rang in her head, _Don't you see how much she means to ThunderClan's future?_ A thought popped into her head, _Maybe i'll be leader one day, oh I sure hope so!_ "Echopaw, are you there?" Pricklenose meowed.

Echopaw shook out of her thoughts, "Yes I'm here, congratulations," she purred, rubbing her muzzle against his.

"Thanks," he replied.

"I can't wait to join you in your den again, i'll miss you," Echopaw meowed.

"I'll save a nest for you next to me," Pricklenose promised.

"That'd be great!" she exclaimed.

"Echopaw come on, the elders need some moss for their nests!" she heard Dappleleaf call from the thorn barrier.

 _Ugh, it'll be great not having a mentor to constantly boss me around._ She padded over the thorn barrier and followed Dappleleaf through. _I remember first stepping into this forest as a new apprentice, it seemed so amazing and since then i've seen so much._ "Don't worry, i've spoken to Mudstar and he's agreed to have your assessment within the next moon, whenever I feel as if it's right," Dappleleaf assured her.

"I can't wait, Brindlepaw and Wishpaw chatter all night long!" Echopaw rolled her eyes. _And most importantly, I can have kits when I become a warrior, I just hope Pricklenose wants them too!_ Over the past moon, she'd constantly been mooning over the handsome tom who'd been her best friend since they were just kits, she assumed it was because the dark forest was off of her mind and she could think about things other than that. "I think Leafbare has almost come to an end," Dappleleaf meowed.

It hadn't been a bad Leafbare, however there was still snow and one of the elders, Thornpelt had been lost to greencough and luckily he was the only one who'd contracted the fatal disease. "I heard Oakfang saying she was expecting Rainsplash's kits and they were due in a moon, she'll move into the nursery soon," Dappleleaf purred, "and she might very well not be the only one." her mentor nudged her playfully as Echopaw ripped moss off of a stone. "What do you mean?" she asked.

"Well not to mention, i've been keeping an eye on you and Pricklenose, he really like you, you know," Dappleleaf meowed.

"Really?" Echopaw exclaimed excitedly, dropping her moss onto the forest floor.

"Of course, he's been mooning over you since you were half a moon old for StarClan's sake, he's my son and I recognise the look he gives you and the way he treats you as supposed to over cats as love, he's bound to ask you soon."

 _I sure do hope so._ Echopaw though to herself.

 **Ooh a bit of romance starting to happen! EchoXPrickle! I'll hopefully make Echopaw's warrior ceremony about Chapter Twenty two or three? Suggest some names in the reviews for her and Berrypaw!**


	23. Chapter Twenty One

**Chapter Twenty One**

Echopaw crept towards a dove, nervousness was stabbing at her paws. It was the day of her warrior assessment and catching this single piece of prey would decide whether she became a warrior or not. As soon as she was close enough, she leapt onto it, killing it with a strong blow to it's neck. _Yes!_ Echopaw looked up, the dove was clamped in her jaws. _I appreciate everything Darkclaw taught me, but he was trying to munipulate me into something much darker, I know it._ "Well done Echopaw, I think you're ready to become a warrior," Dappleleaf jumped out of the bushes she was hiding in. "Really?" Echopaw exclaimed excitedly.

She dipped her head, "More than ready."

Excitement fizzed at Echopaw's paws the whole way back to camp, she had achieved what she had been dreaming ever since she was a kit! "Did you pass?" her mother, Mistyshine bounded up to her.

"Yes!" Echopaw exclaimed.

Mistyshine rubbed her muzzle against hers, "I'm so proud of you," she purred.

"I can tell that you passed," Pricklenose's voice sounded from in front of them, "don't worry, there's still an empty spot next to my nest."

"Well i'd sure hope so!" Echopaw purred.

"Let all cats gather beneath the highledge!" Mudstar's yowl rang loudly throughout the camp.

 _It's time!_ Echopaw felt her mother flatten her pelt with a few licks quickly. Once she'd finished, she padded over to sit at the foot of the highledge, next to Berrypaw. "I'm surprise you passed," Berrypaw snorted.

 _Yes Berrypaw, I passed!_ Mudstar looked down at his kits, his amber eyes were shining with pride. "I, Mudstar call upon my warrior ancestors to look down onto these two apprentices, they have trained hard to learn the ways of your noble code and I gift them with their warrior names in return," he started, "Berrypaw, Echopaw do you promise to uphold the warrior code and protect and defend your clan even at the cost of your lives?"

"I do!" Echopaw exclaimed excitedly.

"I do!" Berrypaw agreed.

"Berrypaw, from this moment on you shall be known as Berryfoot, StarClan honours your bravery and strength and welcomes you as a full warrior of ThunderClan," Mudstar meowed, "and Echopaw, from this moment on you shall be known as Echoshine, StarClan honours your determination to cope with hardships and loyalty and welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan."

 _Echoshine, I like that name._ "Berryfoot! Echoshine! Berryfoot! Echoshine!" Echoshine raised her tail in pride as the clan cheered for her and her brother. _It's going to be a long night, sitting vigil._

 **And finally Echopaw, no Echoshine is a warrior! I decided that name was right. As usual, please review, I enjoy reading them!**


	24. Chapter Twenty Two

**Chapter Twenty Two**

Echoshine sat watching the sunset next to Pricklenose, six moons had passed since her warrior ceremony and so much had happened since then. As she'd hoped, Pricklenose had asked to be mates and Oakfang had given birth to two healthy kits; Dustkit and Bluekit, they were both toms. Leafshine and Redflame had also been killed by a vicious fox that lurked around ThunderClan's territory a moon ago while Birchshade had eaten a poisoned mouse and peacefully passed away in his sleep. Brindlepaw and Wishpaw had also become Brindleleaf and Wishcloud, meaning that there were no apprentices to do the dirty work. "We've suffered so much loss lately," Echoshine sighed.

It was only today that Petalwish had reported to her that she was expecting kits that were due in a moon and she was trying to be subtle about telling Pricklenose. "Why do you say that?" Pricklenose asked.

Echoshine moved her dark blue gaze to his, "Pricklenose, I'm expecting your kits," she admitted excitedly.

Excitement washed over her mate's face, "Already?" he seemed surprised.

Echoshine nodded, "already."

"Oh Echoshine, they'll be beautiful," he purred, "when will they be born?"

"In about a moon," she told him.

"I can't wait, have you told any other cat?" Pricklenose's eyes were shining with mixed emotions of pride and excitement.

Echoshine shook her head, "not yet."

"Then let's go tell the clan." Pricklenose started to pad off.

 _StarClan, please bless the kits._ Echoshine thought to herself as she padded after her mate.

 **Sorry for the long skip, I'm trying to shorten this story as much as possible as it's already been 22 chapters and I want there to be roughly 35? As always, keep reviewing!**


	25. Chapter Twenty Three

**Chapter Twenty Three**

"Echoshine watch out, there's a fox behind you!" Pricklenose called out.

Echoshine whipped around to find that there was a large, ginger fox standing in front of her, it's teeth bared in an angry matter. _Oh StarClan, it's the one that killed Leafshine and Redflame._ She stood there, frozen in fright until Pricklenose leapt at it, his claws unsheathed. The fox retaliated quickly, grabbing him by the scruff and shaking him until he managed to grip it's throat and rake his claws down it. The fox yelped in pain, dropping Pricklenose to the floor, he was covered in his own crimson blood. _No!_ A wave of relief washed over Echoshine as her mate staggered to his paws and pounced into the fox's back, gripping onto its neck until finally it snapped and the fox fell limp. "You killed it!" Echoshine gasped. "Pricklenose?" her mate was laying on the ground next to the fox, blood was pouring from a wound in his neck.

"What's happened here?" Emberstep came racing out from a cluster of bushes, flanked by Dappleleaf, Mouseleap and Crowfang.

"Pricklenose?" Dappleleaf raced to her son's side, "Is he okay?"

"I don't know," Echoshine cried, panic was beating at her chest.

"I'll grab Petalwish," Mouseleap turned around.

"N-no," Pricklenose stuttered, "don't get Petalwish."

"But Pricklenose your neck has a massive wound, you're losing lots of blood," Emberstep meowed.

"I'm well aware Emberstep, but my time is over," Pricklenose meowed weakly.

"What about our kits?" Echoshine wailed, "I won't let them grow up without a father!"

"I would do anything to live with them and see them, but this is my destiny," Pricklenose told her, "take care of them and love them very much, I'll be watching over from StarClan."

A tear ran down Echoshine's cheek, "So this is it?" she cried.

Pricklenose managed to nod, "Goodbye, my love i'll meet with you again one day."

Just as he finished his sentence, his body slipped into a spasm until finally, he fell limp and his amber eyes rolled back into his head. "No!" Echoshine wailed.

Dappleleaf rested her tail on Echoshine's spine, "There's nothing we can do now, he's gone."

Echoshine rested her chin on Pricklenose's neck, "Why did you have to leave me?" she whispered, "you were so young and we had so much to fulfill together, as mates."

 _That's only the start of my revenge._ A voice whispered in Echoshine's ear.


	26. Chapter Twenty Four

**Chapter Twenty Four**

Echoshine padded into the camp, her heart felt as if it was breaking over and over each pawstep she took. "Emberstep, what happened?" Mudstar leapt from the highledge when he saw Pricklenose's body. "The fox killed him too," Emberstep reported.

"Not another one," Mudstar meowed, "and it had to be my daughters mate."

"He did kill the fox though," Crowfang pointed out.

Mudstar looked up from Pricklenose's body, "Then we'll give him the burial he deserves, he gave his life to save the clan and killed the fox that had hurt so many."

Echoshine padded to sit beside his body again, "his kits will live through him," she announced, looking up at the stars that shone brightly in the night sky.

Dappleleaf joined them in sitting next to his body, "they will follow in his pawsteps and he'll look down upon them forever."

 _This is only the start of your revenge._ The words came back to Echoshine. _What revenge?_ A thought hit her, _Oh no, don't tell me that Shrewstar is back!_

 **An extremely short chapter, I forgot to write a message in the last chapter, but it was a bit of a plot twist (well sort of) Remember to keep reviewing!**


	27. Chapter Twenty Five

**Chapter Twenty Five**

"Quick get Sagefeather or Petalwish, Echoshine's kits are coming!"

A sharp pain hit Echoshine's belly as her mother called for some cat to get one of the medicine cats. A few moments later Sagefeather appeared, a bundle of leaves in her mouth. Another sharp pain hit Echoshine, causing her to jerk her body in a painful spasm until a tiny kit slid out. "Quick, nip the sack!" Sagefeather meowed to Mistyshine.

Without hesistance, Mistyshine nipped the sack of the tiny kit, "it's a tom!" she announced.

 _Oh Pricklenose, we have a handsome son!_ Again, a shot of pain contracted in Echoshine's belly and another tiny kit slid out, this time a she-kit. It happened again not long after and the third kit, another she-kit slid out. "That's all!" Sagefeather announced.

Echoshine glared at her three kits with warm eyes. _They're gorgeous, if only Pricklenose was here to see them._ "Eat this." Sagefeather prodded a bundle of leaves forward. "It'll help with the flow of your milk."

Echoshine lapped up the herbs and swallowed them quickly, trying her best to ignore the bitter taste. Mistyshine placed a bundle of wet moss in front of her, she had just returned from the stream. "Drink," she ordered.

Echoshine vigorously lapped at the wet moss, the moistness felt good against her throat as she swallowed each mouthful. "What do you think they should be named?" Mistyshine asked.

Echoshine placed her tail on the back of the tiny grey and white tom, he looked similar to her, "Cloudkit," she decided.

"That suits him," Mistyshine agreed.

She shifted her tail to the smallest she-kit, a light brown tabby, just like Pricklenose, "Rosekit" she purred, shifting her tail again, this time onto the grey tabby she-kit, "and Stormkit."

"Cloudkit, Rosekit and Stormkit," Mistyshine whispered, "i'm positive that Pricklenose would approve of those names."

 _Look down upon these kits and protect them, my love._


	28. Chapter Twenty Six

**Chapter Twenty Six**

Echoshine watched with joy as her three kits flicked snow at the two younger kits, Sunkit and Whitekit. The two had been born to Dovefeather and Lionwhisker only a moon ago and often player with Cloudkit, Rosekit and Stormkit. "It sure is a cold day today," Dovefeather meowed.

"I say," agreed Echoshine.

Despite it being leaf-bare, the clan had thrived, prey wasn't a scarce as it usually would be and there were plenty of kits. "Echoshine, where have all the beetles gone?" Rosekit looked around in confusion.

Echoshine let out a purr of amusement, "they don't come out in leaf-bare, you won't see them again until you're apprentices."

"We'll be hunting _real_ prey when we're apprentices though," Cloudkit pointed out.

"Yes, that's right," Echoshine purred, "Beetles sure won't feed the clan."

"I can't wait to be an apprentice!" Stormkit exclaimed.

"You'll be one soon enough," Echoshine assured them.

 **A very very short chapter, sorry about that! Please review!**


	29. Chapter Twenty Seven

**Chapter Twenty Seven**

"Stormsky! Cloudwhisker! Rosewish!" Echoshine lifted her chin in pride as she called out the new names of her kits, along with the rest of the clan. Many moonshad passed since their birth and since then, she had been given Whitepaw as an apprentice. Wishcloud had also given birth to Berryfoot's only kit, who was named Thrushkit, after her brother who'd passed away long ago. Owlheart, Crowfang , Cedarheart and Longwhisker had all joined StarClan after a bout of greencough hit the camp, making many cats ill. Petalwish had also joined them not long after when she had become ill from an unknown sickness. "Echoshine, take Whitepaw and Bluesmoke on a hunting patrol to the great oak," Emberstep ordered.

"Of course," she dipped her head, leading the two younger cats out of the camp.

"I can't wait until I earn my warrior name!" Whitepaw exclaimed.

"It won't be long," Echoshine assured him, "We'll hold your first assessment within the next moon, so I can judge when your final one will be."

"I remember being an apprentice," Bluesmoke purred, "Crowfang was a good mentor."

"You're speaking as if you were an apprentice moons ago," Echoshine meowed, "you're still young."

"I know."

"We'd better hunt now otherwise it'll be nightfall by the time we return to camp," Echoshine told them.

"Of course," Bluesmoke padded off.

"Okay!" Whitepaw squeaked.

Echoshine let out a purr of amusement, her apprentice was a likeable young cat with a joyful and kind spirit. "Ah, Echoshine help, i've been bitten by an adder!"

She was alarmed by the yowl of Whitepaw, _Oh StarClan!_ She leapt through the bushes to find her apprentice, laying on the forest floor, breathing heavily. "Where did it go?"she demanded.

"It's all good, I've killed it," Bluesmoke emerged from behind the great oak.

"Whitepaw?" Echoshine nudged him with her paw, he didn't respond. "Whitepaw, are you okay?"

 _Oh no, don't tell me he's dead._ Echoshine rested her chin on his head, "please wake up," she pleaded.

 _It hurts to lose someone you love, doesn't it?_ A voice whispered in her ear. "Shrewstar," she growled under her breath.


	30. Chapter Twenty Eight

**Chapter Twenty Eight**

Echoshine awoke, surrounded by a dark, gloomy forest. "Hello Echoshine."

She turned around to reveal Shrewstar standing in front of her. "Shrewstar, what do you want?" she hissed, "you were the one who caused Pricklenose and Whitepaw's deaths weren't you?"

Over two moons had passed since the death of her apprentice and she'd been given young Thrushpaw to make up for it. "Of course it was me," he snorted.

"But _why_?" she demanded, "Why would you do that?"

"Because I want you to suffer," Shrewstar told her, "you have _everything_ , a mate who loved you, parents who care for you and kits, I wasn't fortunate enough to live a life like that."

"But you were leader!" Echoshine spat.

"No I wasn't," he confessed, "I was only a warrior when I was exiled, I just gave myself the name Shrewstar."

"Why do you want _me_ to suffer anyway?" Echoshine demanded.

"Because you're the future of ThunderClan," he growled, "They were the clan that caused me to suffer, so in return I make them suffer."

Shrewstar raised his hackles and leapt at Echowish, pinning her to the ground. "Any last words?"

Anger burned inside Echoshine's chest and she kicked at Shrewstar's belly, sending him flying into a tree stump. She jumped to her paws and raced over to him, biting at his neck with a strong grip. "Before you kill me, you'd better check your mother's nest," he meowed.

 _What?_ Echoshine let go of the brown tabby's scruff and awoke with a jolt. She raced to Mistyshine's nest, which wasn't far from hers. _Oh StarClan, she's dead, she's stopped breathing._ She prodded her mother with a gentle paw. "Mistyshine?" she whispered.

Her mother didn't respond. Rosewish lifted her head, "Echoshine is something wrong?" she asked.

Echoshine glared at her for a few moments, "Mistyshine's dead!" she wailed.

Rosewish leapt to her paws and padded over. "Oh StarClan, you're right, shall I wake Mudstar?"

Echoshine nodded, "you'd better," she murmured.

 **Ooh, things are getting interesting again! Per usual, remember to review!**


	31. Chapter Twenty Nine

**Chapter Twenty Nine**

Echoshine watched with sadness as the two elders, Squirreltail and Smokefang carried Mistyshine's body to her burial spot. "How'd she die?" Thrushpaw asked.

Echoshine shrugged her shoulders, "I have no idea," she meowed.

 _How could you be so cruel, Shrewstar?_ "Your mother was a great warrior, you know," Mudstar murmured to her and Berryfoot, his voice hoarse with grief.

"We'll always remember her." Berryfoot dipped his head.

"I couldn't fault her for anything," Echoshine added, "she helped me take care of my kits when they didn't have a father and I respect and love her for that."

"She treated us as her own too," Cloudwhisker purred.

"And she's looked after us since the day we were born," Stormsky meowed.

"And me too," Thrushpaw chimed in.

"She may not have died while fighting, but she still left us as a true warrior." Rosewish dipped her head.

"I certainly couldn't have asked for a better mate," Mudstar stared at the sky, his amber eyes were clouded with grief.

"Or a better mother," Echoshine purred.

 _I will get you back one day Shrewstar, just you wait._

 **Another short ad not very interesting chapter, but I still hope you liked it!**


	32. Chapter Thirty

**Chapter Thirty**

Echoshine pounced onto a small thrush, killing it with a single blow to the neck. A freezing cold breeze shot past her quickly, causing her pelt to ruffle up.

 _That's funny, it's greenleaf but that breeze was so cold._ She shook it from her mind and padded back into camp, to find worried cats crouded around the highledge. _What's this about?_ She dropped her thrush on the fresh kill pile and pushed her way to the front of the crowd, they were surrounding the body of the deputy, Emberstep. "What happened?" she asked Foxnose, who was standing beside her.

"No cat knows, he was just sitting here, eating that rabbit when he just fell limp to the ground," Foxnose meowed.

"That sounds horrible!" Echoshine exclaimed.

"It was." the tortoiseshell stil seemed shocked.

"Look at the rabbit!" a cat called out, "it's half blind!"

Sagefeather examined the rabbit for a few moments, "it's an omen," she announced, "Echoshine should be the new deputy!"

 _What?_ Mixed emotions of shock and excitement pounded at Echoshine's chest. "I agree," Thrushpaw meowed.

The rest of the clan joined in, "Echoshine! Echoshine!" they chanted.

Mudstar leapt onto the highledge, "From this moment on Echoshine will be the deputy of ThunderClan, I wish that Emberstep hears and approve of my choice!"

Echoshine puffed out her chest in pride, "Thank you all for this oppurtunity, I promise to protect and serve you all as your deputy."

"Echoshine! Echoshine!" Echoshine gazed around to see that even her brother, Berryfoot was cheering for her.

 _I'm one step ahead Shrewstar, try to beat me now._


	33. Chapter Thirty One

**Chapter Thirty One**

"So you're deputy now?" Shrewstar growled.

Echoshine puffed out her chest in pride, "Yes Shrewstar, I am."

"Well what better time to kill you."

The brown tabby leapt at her, but she merely dodged, causing him to land onto the muddy forest floor. Swiftly, she turned around and pinned him down, gripping her claws into his chest. "I will not have you hurt another ThunderClan cat!" she growled.

Shrewstar's pupil grew smaller as Echoshine lifted her paw and slashed his belly open. The tom lay still for a few moments, until finally his eyes rolled back into his head and his spirit started to fade away. _Finally, my clan and loved ones are safe from that monster._ She turned around to find Stonestar standing in front of her, his blue eyes were warm. "Well done Echoshine," he purred, "you've gotten rid of the cat that had caused so much death in ThunderClan for so long and soon you'll be rewarded for your courage."

"What do you mean?" Echoshine tilted her head.

"Only time can answer that," Stonestar meowed in a subtle matter.


	34. Chapter Thirty Two

**Chapter Thirty Two**

"Welcome to StarClan, Echoshine."

Echoshine looked around, she was surrounded by nine different cats in a grassy clearing that had sun pouring down ono it like rain. "Are you ready to receive your nine lives?" One of them asked.

Echoshine nodded, "I am."

Three moons had passed since she'd killed Shrewstar and Mudstar had passed away after a quarrel with a badger. She watched as the first cat, Squirreltail stepped forward. "With this life I give you loyalty, always stay loyal to the cats around you."

A sharp pain shot through Echoshine's chest as the elder padded back to the spot where she was originally standing. The next cat was Thrushkit, a young kit of Dawnsky and Cedarheart who'd died at only one moon old after he'd been born severely ill and weak. "With this life I give you hope, remember to always be hopeful even in the hardest of times," he squeaked.

The third cat was Petalwish. "With this I give you kindness, always make sure that kindness is spread around the clan as without it, you wouldn't be a clan"

Echoshine dipped her head to the medicine cat. Dappleleaf stepped forward next, her former mentor had died not long after she'd become deputy when she was hit by a monster on the thunderpath. "With this life I give you courage, never be afraid of anything."

"Thank you Dappleleaf," She whispered.

A moment later, Whitepaw padded forward. "With this life I give you mentoring, it is not only apprentices that need to be mentored, mentor each and every cat of your clan to care for and protect one another."

"Oh Whitepaw, I'm so sorry," she meowed.

Whitepaw dipped his head. "It was my fate to die the way I did."

The sixth cat was Mistyshine, her mother. "With this life I gift you with the ability to care for others, protect each and every cat that ever lives under your reign as you never know when it might be the end for them."

Stonestar came forward next, "With this life I give you determination, even though all throughout your life you've been so determined to prove that you can be a good warrior, you will need it for you never know what challenges you may face one day."

"Thank you Stonestar." Echoshine dipped her head.

Her father, Mudstar padded forward next and touched noses with her. "With your eighth life, I give you the ability to make hard decisions, being the leader of a clan isn't as easy as you think and this life will be needed in the future."

A sense of strength tingled in Echoshine's paws as the final cat, Pricklenose came forward. "Oh my love, I've missed you lots," she purred.

"I miss you too," he meowed, "and I've been watching over our kits, I couldn't be any prouder of who you've raised them to be."

Pricklenose touched noses with her, "for your ninth and final life I give you love, have love for all of your clanmates and they will love you back."

A strong pain shot through Echoshine's spine as Mudstar raised his chin in the air, "Echoshine, from this moment on you shall be known as Echostar, the _leader_ of ThunderClan!"

"Echostar! Echostar!"

Echostar felt as if the whole of StarClan was cheering her new name. "We're very proud of you," Mistyshine purred.

"Thank you all for the wonderful life you've given me so far, I promise that I will do anything to protect your clan and get them through times of trouble," Echostar vowed.

 **Yayayyay, Echoshine, sorry Echostar is finally leader! I will do an Epilogue after this to end the story!**


	35. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

Echostar sat on the highledge, watching over her clan. Half a moon had passed since her leadership ceremony and she'd decided to make Foxnose her deputy. Since she'd become leader, the clan had thrived and greenleaf was soon coming, meaning plenty of kits in the nursery and plenty of prey to go around. "Would you like me to organise some patrols?" Foxnose offered.

"That'd be great Foxnose, the fresh kill pile could do with some restocking," she meowed.

 _Foxnose sure is a reliable deputy, I couldn't have asked for any cat better._ Echostar looked at the busy camp, she let out a purr of amusement as she spotted her daughter Rosewish flirting with Duststorm. _They'll be having kits soon enough._ She thought to herself happily. Her three kits had turned into strong-minded young warriors that were loyal to their clan without a doubt. _I couldn't be any prouder of my clan, they are strong and ready to face anything._


	36. Author's Note

**Author's Note**

 **Woo, finally finished it! I certainly had fun writing this story and couldn't thank you all enough for reviewing it! I will be making a sequel series to this, with a new POV character, a bit like The Prophecies Begin after Bluestar's Prophecy. Anyway, I wish you all a very merry christmas and a Happy New Year for those who are reading this before then! Also be sure to look out for the rest of my fanfics that I'll be writing, they will be started probably tomorrow! As usual and for the last time, please remember to review this and thank you all for reading it, especially those who've stuck with me til the end!**


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